


Angels&Demons

by Valdyr



Series: The Angel Within [17]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Episode: s05e20 The Devil You Know, Episode: s05e21 Two Minutes to Midnight, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-08
Updated: 2017-08-08
Packaged: 2018-12-07 16:15:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11627184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Valdyr/pseuds/Valdyr
Summary: The three Winchester brothers hunt down the last remaining horseman and for that purpose are offered help by Crowley, putting the demon in the devil's range.





	Angels&Demons

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I had two deadlines to catch but have now finished those seminars and can finally get back to writing. (I still have two other seminars I still need to hand something in for, but those deadlines are in September.)

"This is so unfair! You said I'm one of you now!"

Sam rollen his eyes, courtesy of a very pissed Lucifer, and Dean sighed deeply like he'd almost drowned before responding.

"You are a hunter now, Adam, and you're a Winchester. Like us. But you still look too young to drink, taking you will blow our cover! So go wait in the car, alright?"

He huffed in anger, but stood firm. So Sam took a deep breath and intervened:

"Look, it's just a couple questions to someone who doesn't know what's really going on anyway. We should be out again in like ten minutes. ...And you could catch something in there. Lots of sick people, right?"

Adam was still unhappy with that, but begrudingly left them to do their job.

"I softened him up for you."

"Keep telling yourself. But for real? What kid has ever accepted a no because they were told they weren't old enough? That's a grade A invitation to try harder, Dean. The classic forbidden fruit."

Dean glared at him for heartbeat, but eventually headed inside, decidely before his little brother. As expected, though, they didn't find out much more than that Pestilence had really been there and for some reason kept to the flu. So Adam really didn't miss much.

And he did get to partake in their discussion about it back in the impala, Bobby on the phone. But little of value was said. At least until that moment when Sam winced. The devil had jolted in him in warning and suddenly the backseat was occupied by more than just their little half-brother.

"Hello, boys."

Sam had a second to recognize Crowley's voice, then Adam lashed out against the unknown intruder and everyone was thrown around as Dean abruptly hit the brakes full force. They came to a cringing stop and looked to where Adam had buried a knife in the seat back. But the demon was gone.

Then he knocked on the window. In a flash they got out, but all for different reasons. Adam was quite frankly a bit freaked out that a demon could just appear right next to him, out of thin air. Sam on the other hand was filled with Lucifer's excitement, even though he couldn't show himself to talk to Crowley like he wanted right now. And Dean, he was just furious and tried to kill Crowley, accusing him of luring them into a trap with the Colt that hadn't worked on the devil. He swung his knife and yelled that they almost lost someone on that suicide mission.

For a moment of hesitation, the oldest Winchester thought that it might have been a good thing that the Colt didn't kill Lucifer. If it was true that they could bring back Castiel... But he didn't admit that, not to a demon, and just lunged again. Sam half-heartedly held him back, though he obviously pretended to be furious, too. Adam didn't know what they were talking about, but there was a demon, so it was probably an enemy.

A demon who verbally defended himself against Dean's accusations and declared them as being on the same side. He said "still". Weird. But his big brothers probably knew better, so he just left it to them and listened without drawing the potential enemy demon's attention to himself.

Amid defending himself, Crowley admitted to being hunted by his own kind and Sam had to suppress a grin. Well, that hunt was over now. In his ignorance, the demon had just revealed his location to the devil. And he had revealed that he was no longer in a warded house. But Dean was there, so he kept silent. They just needed a moment without witnesses now.

His grin did slip out though, as Crowley proved himself a perfect drama queen, exploding the street light above them. For a demon, he was remarkably likeable. And well-equipped. He had bugged their car? Lucifer hadn't noticed that, but it also didn't matter much to him. As far as he was concerned, all important conversations happened in Sam's head anyway. And that was something a demon could not spy on.

Fortunately. Or he would never have come near Sam and then no-one would have offered to lead them to the horsemen's stable boy. Well, offered to lead Dean anyway. Adam was allowed to come, too. But not Sam. For a moment the youngest Winchester felt proud to be allowed to come when Sam wasn't. Then he realized that not he was replacing the far more experienced hunter, but Crowley was, whereas he remained the third wheel.

Samifer, however, simply rejoiced. He pretended to be cross with Dean for it of course. But this was the perfect opportunity. He could guess why Crowley didn't want him along. Azazel's memories had contained many identities of people in Sam's life that had been possessed and Crowley's face basically said: If we bring him, this is gonna get real ugly real fast. So it might not be clear, but certainly a good guess.

Sam cringed at the reminder. He hated how much demons had controlled him throughout his life. Especially to learn about Brady had stung. But Azazel had paid and the rest were just lackeys. Or so he told himself. Then he wished his brothers luck, warned them not to trust Crowley and saw the demon off with a death glare. To be convincing, of course.

Then the three left and awkward silence ensued in the impala. Adam really didn't know what to make of this alliance. And Crowley loved riling him up suggestive winks and comments too much. That really wasn't helping. But none of that was as bad as when Crowley just up and sliced the human shields' throats.

"I thought we were supposed to be _saving people_!"

"We are."

"Oh really? 'Cause these people here look pretty DEAD to me!"

"Look, I didn't know that he would do this but we got to think of the-"

"Don't you dare pull some kind of 'greater good' crap on me. They were people and they might also have been someone's fathers, brothers, husbands or sons! Try telling the people who loved them that it was for the greater good."

He was right. Dean knew was was right. But he also knew that they couldn't save everyone and they needed Crowley to save as many people as possible. They couldn't condemn the hundreds if not thousands that Pestilence would kill before they could get him, just because they had offed Crowley as a matter of principle.

Still he was lucky that he didn't have to find a way to explain that, when Crowley interrupted their argument, reminding them that they had to go before someone noticed the bodies and rang an alarm. Together in stifling silence they rode up and fought their way through to Brady.

Only to be shocked again. Both of them took hits. And kicks. But with combined forces they reached the elevator and were temporarily safe. They reached the ground floor, but Crowley was nowhere to be seen and then Brady reappeared to attack once more and put an end to their running...

Then out of nowhere Crowley reappeared just behind Brady and shoved a bag over his head before knocking him unconscious with several squelching blows. Both hunters exhaled in relief and then Dean unleashed his tirade, but Crowley was unapologetic. They had to give it to him, though. He got the stable boy.

And just when they thought it was over and they could go back to their hideout... just when they turned to the door, they saw Meg on the other side of the glass door, waving at them with a huge smile.

"Shit."

It was Crowley who said it. But they all thought the same. Meg was surrounded by dozens of demons and a moment later there were inside. The hunters tried to fight, but two more appeared in expensive suits, two that made Crowley gasp, and a blink of an eye later they were unconsious. The two, who were not demons but angels, turned to Crowley next and there was no escape. He collapsed within the moment.

 

Slowly he came to. And he instantly regretted it. Meg was grinning down at him. Shit. Shit, shit, shit! He had to find a way out. She wasn't very bright, he knew. But behind her were two angels and bright or not they complicated things. He stared at them for a bit too long, though.

"Pretty, aren't they?"

"I'd rather have chosen 'surprising'. Angels? Obeying a demon?"

"They obey Lucifer. Even when he tells them to work with demons. It's not their main job, of course. Mostly he wants them to recruit more and turn heaven in his favor, but then he found out that you had left your shelter to go cuddle up to the Winchesters... So he briefly called two down to seal the deal."

"Yes... angels. Like Lucifer. Meg, I implore you, use that sorry excuse of a brain of yours and think! He's not one of us. He's one of them! And they HATE us! HE hates us!"

"I know."

"Yo- ...you know?"

"I know that a big part of him wants to kill us all. But he can't exterminate demonkind without a good chunk of mankind ending up as collateral damage."

"So what? He is infamous for his hatred of humanity, why would that change anything?"

"It changes everything, because his vessel won't stand for that."

"His...?"

And then there were sounds to the side and he looked and saw Sam, inspiring a flicker of hope. A flicker of thinking that the hunter would attack Meg and he might get away in the chaos of their fight. But then it was like a veil fell away and six massive wings unfolded before his eyes.

"Lucifer!"

"Hello, Crowley."

"It's not possible!"

"You wound me, Crowley. Like the devil couldn't deceive a bunch of humans and a demon. But first things first: My brothers, I thank you for your service. You may return to heaven now."

The angels bowed and disappeared with a flutter of wings. Then the devil turned to Meg, who was already glowing with pride and joy at just being noticed by him.

"Thank you for waiting. Dean and Adam believe me with Bobby now, expecting that two teams could achieve more faster. ...I admit I should perhaps have come before they woke up and I needed an excuse, but... Torturing Brady to his death took up all that time."

"He didn't cooperate?!"

"Oh no, he did. The moment he saw who I was he submitted and was willing, or rather 'eager', to tell his creator everything. But he made a mistake. He assumed that I had subjugated Sam and decided to brag about giving him Jess and then killing her personally to keep my vessel in shape."

"Ouch. I bet he regretted that."

"He did. Most dearly."

Now that really shocked Crowley to the core. Satan aligned himself to his vessels wishes? A human's wishes??? Wait, did that mean that Sam consented to this? He certainly knew now how the demons had found him. The hunters had a mole in their midst. But that also meant that they would have known about the Colt in advance. And they let it happen because they knew that Satan could take it.

But waaait, Sam had come into his house that day. His warded house. The angel, even as an archangel, would not have been able to do that. So had he taken possession of Sam only afterwards? While he had the coin in their car? He hadn't noticed any changes...

Ahhh! His head was steaming. But then he realized that he was being stared at. Meg regarded him condescendingly, she didn't like him, but the devil seemed almost... curious?

"Excuse me, did I miss something?"

"Not yet."

He said it playfully, letting the 't' pop and tilting his face to the side, his grin widening. Crowley narrowed his eyes.

"I assume you are not done with me then."

"No, I haven't even begun! You are such an interesting demon."

"Interesting?!"

"Yes. You are the only one clever enough to realize what I think of your kind. The only one who understood that, if I wiped out the race of man, yours would swiftly follow."

He gulped. Sometimes he would prefer to be wrong. This didn't sound like he had much good ahead of him. More like the opposite. But Lucifer wasn't finished:

"Fortunately for you, though, I won't wipe out mankind. So there is also no-one next."

"...Because your vessel doesn't want that?"

"Correct."

"I must admit that I didn't expect you to consider a human's wishes."

"I know. But don't feel bad about it, nobody anticipated that. I'm an enigma!"

"...Might I ask 'why?', just to understand."

"We became allies to stop the apocalypse, bonded over God screwing us both over in the same way and things started from there."

"You want to stop the apocalypse?!"

"Of course. My father wants this. And my big brother. And I hate them even more than any demons. It's more personal, you know. So I do the opposite and thwart their plans. It's my thing, being a rebel. _The_ rebel, really. But that, I suppose, also puts the two of us on the same side, doesn't it?"

He was momentarily too stunned to speak. And what would he even say? Yes, he did want everything to go back to normal. He was a salesman, not a soldier. But this just felt like a trap. Could it even be true?

"Come on, Crowley. We want the same thing and you are a surprisingly useful specimen of a demon. Not one of those filthy little bags of greed that couldn't think if their life depended on it. You... you are brilliant. Expecially for a demon... Join me, Crowley. Be my master of the crossroads. Or, I don't know, viceroy of hell?"

Now Crowley was sure his eyes had popped out. Viceroy of hell? Bloody hell!

"You wouldn't."

"Why not? You're good. And in all honesty, I don't like hell. I am an angel. And I don't have the best memories of the place. I really don't want to live in that pit, not even to rule. But you... You're a demon. It's your home. So rule it for me, if you're willing. The choice is yours, Crowley. Think about it."

And with that he lifted himself off the wall he had come to lean against and disappeared with a beat of his wings. Crowley stared at the empty place he had previoiusly occupied for several minutes after before his gaze jumped over to Meg, who was grinningly widely at his shock face:

"He's not as bad as you thought, is he? 'Cause he might not like us, but he's pretty practical. And killing us all would simply be a waste in this world. So, if we're worth it, he keeps us."

He refused to admit that she might be right about that. And he couldn't just jump at the chance, either. He hadn't even been to hell in ...ages. He felt like he didn't quite like it there either, but those memories were old. Surely he would like it better if it lay at his feet. He had to think it through. And he wanted that smug look gone from the swooning fanatic's face.

"Don't you feel rejected? You're such a loyal little girl, but still he offers _me_ the throne of hell?"

"Nope. _I_ have already agreed to being his ambassador. That might not give me your kind of power, but I get to leave the pit and see my father. And that's worth it to me. What about you?"

 

Adam winced at the bang of Dean hitting the wall in frustration, more curses spewing from his mouth like water out of a geyser. It had been going on for a while now but recently reached new heights, now that they reunited with Sam and Bobby, who had come just as empty-handed as them. Crowley was lost to them and so was Brady.

Their one shot at finding Pestilence was gone.

"Hello, boys."

They whipped around and Crowley was right there in the doorway.

"You keep multiplying. Is it mating season?"

"Crowley!"

"That's my name."

Dean rolled his eyes, but also took a closer look at the demon. He was out of breath and his neatly tailored suit... he kind of looked like a plucked chicken now.

"What happened?"

"What does it look like, moron?! THEY GOT ME! But to your luck, I am Crowley. I got free and nowI also know where you can find Pestilence."

All hunters perked at that, but remained suspicious.

"How?"

Dean slowly reached for the demon knife behind his back, half expecting the demon to have sold them out to save his own ass. Even though that would make little to no sense, since Meg had left him and Adam behind when she took Crowley. But stranger stuff had happened. So Crowley sighed and spoke like one would to a little child:

"The devil, it would appear, was too busy to tend to me. Some big spell he was working on with another angel or something. Anyway his demons, idiots that they were, locked me up to wait for him. And in all their infinite wisdom, they locked me and your pal Brady up together. Saved space. And brain cells. So there I worked my magic."

"Magic? What kind of magic?"

"The metaphorical kind."

Dean answered him with just a confused frown, so Crowley sighed once more and very dramatically, before explaining:

"I'm a crossroads demon, squirrel. It's my job to convince people to do things they know are wrong. And, of course, I have hellhounds! I grilled him and got the hell out of there before the devil came for me. With him, I'd have been screwed. But with those angels flown off and nothing but demons around? I could handle that."

Dean glared at the demon for being so arrogant about it, but he instantly believed him. He believed him because he wanted to believe it. 'Cause to him, that sounded like the demon had just confirmed that Lucifer was working with Gabriel to bring Cas back to life!!!

Adam was not so willing to believe the demon, but as he looked around, all others seemed convinced and they all had much more experience then him. Dean seemed almost excited in his faith and Sam and Bobby both nodded almost in sync. So he accepted that. He didn't know what hid behind Sam's face nor that he had informed Bobby before they arrived. And thus he also missed the blink of an eye moment where Crowley and Sam exchanged a most meaningful look.

The devil was a tad bit sad to have missed the face the diva must have made when Meg told him that his precious suit would have to be roughed up. But mostly he was just glad that Crowley had taken his offer, as his perfect enactment of the plan he had devised and left with Meg for him showed. And thus Crowley delivered the first bit of information Brady had given up upon seeing his master to Dean.

 

Getting into the place wasn't really hard. But then, who why would it? No-one in their right mind would break into a house full of sick people. No matter the risk of getting caught, they'd catch something and for what? But as easy as their entry was, finding Pestilence took patience. And Dean was not a patient man. Nor was Adam.

Hours crawled by and both fell asleep several times, to be woken only by Sam's and Bobby's calls for status updates. It was hooorrible. But then there was a flicker. Adam noticed it, since Dean was sleeping again. One person, a doctor by the white coat and clipboard, had a funny disturbance over his face. Like the camera couldn't grasp him. Like there was something not quite normal.

They called it in and went after him. Adam was thrilled to be going after a horseman. He really felt like he belonged, taking such a risk with Dean by his side, in the middle of the action. He was not so thrilled when a wave a nausea rolled over him and his knees felt weak and his head hurt and his stomach churned... fuck, he felt sick. Oh, shit! He felt sick! While they were going after Pestilence. This was the horseman's attack!

He almost wanted to go back. How could they fight disease?! But Dean powered on and dragged him with him. Until finally they reached the last door and a demon let them in. Now Pestilence was absolutely full of himself. They could barely understand a word he said through the throbbing of their pulse, but still he prattled on and on about whatever as he wandered through the room with many a gesture to emphasize certain points.

But that was good. And the time came when he realized that Dean was grinning. He pulled him up by his hair to question him and saw the phone he had been lying on. There was a call to Sam and it was still open. Pestilence had been surprised at seeing another with Dean Winchester, but cared little so long as he still got to rip the one he had apart. Now he realized that that might have been a mistake.

And just as he withdrew, he saw the Winchester grin through stained lips and breathe a raspy "now". The very next moment glass shattered as bullets flew through the window and the demon screamed. Because those bullets were dunked in holy water. That didn't allow them to damage a horseman, but his vessel was soon riddled with holes and oozing sticky humanlike blood. Disgusting. So he was definitely pissed.

Pestilence snarled and turned his ring once more to send another wave of sickness, this time far enough to reach the shooter outside. Dean sincerely hoped that either Sam or Bobby would hit the hand with that blasted ring before they were incapitated, too. But he never saw it. Before he could, the new wave took laid waste to the lasts shreds of his already diminished consciousness and everything went black.

 

"See? They're alright."

Bobby grumbled something inaudible and helped Adam sit up, as Dean looked around to spot the differences. For one he felt perfectly healthy again. There were also more bullet holes than he remembered and of course the dead demon in front of him. But no trace of Pestilence.

"Looking for this?"

His eyes followed the voice and there Sam held up a bloody ring with a green stone. Pestilence was done!

"Great! ...Not great?"

He looked between Bobby and Sam who seemed more grim than relieved and so Sam told him that Pestilence had had some poignant last words for them. His work was done and they couldn't stop it anymore. Mankind was doomed. Or somethinhg like that anyway.

Of course he hadn't actually said that. Lucifer's attack had been swift, once Dean was unconscious. But it seemed like the perfect opportunity to introduce Dean to the second part of Brady's report for his creator. Crowley was already awaiting them with the news article he had found that would give them a plausible source for their information.

And as soon as they got home, he revealed it to Dean and they planned their attack. That so called vaccine would never make it to the public. The plan was quite simple really. The four of them, Crowley having disappeared again without a word, would go in and bomb the whole place.

The plan didn't work of course as a loaded truck made to leave early, but they handled it. They knocked out the human driver and halted the gate, then went in to kill the demons and Croatoan infected humans, while those not infected yet were lead out. There was lots of screaming and shots rang out every now and then. Just an ordinary day in the life of a hunter. Until something else happened that no-one else could see.

'Luuuci. ...Luuuuuuuuci. Hey! Listen up, big bro!'

'Gabriel?!'

He had been waiting for this call, but it was terrible timing. To properly - and in a way that not everyone would hear it on loudspeaker - use his telepathic communication ability with another angel without direct contact, he needed to fan out his wings. 'Like a satellite dish', he explained when he felt Sam's confusion. But that would mean no longer hiding them.

And while humans couldn't see an angel's wings unless he angel wanted them to, possessors would see them. Like demons, for example. And there were enough of those around. If even one reacted like any demon would at seeing an angel and Dean saw that... No, that wouldn't do.

So whe awaited a fitting moment and suggested that they split up. To cover more ground of course. Bobby saw that glint in his eye that promised a hidden agenda and agreed, then proceeded to suggest directions for each of them before Dean or Adam could voice doubts.

They gave nods of understanding and the four hunters split up to check out different parts of the large building. And as soon as he was alone, he raised his other, inner voice:

'Gabriel?'

'Guess what I got for ya!'

'Castiel is alive?'

'And kicking. He is still disoriented, but I think you can come by.'

'Where? Wait! Don't say it. I don't like this manner of communication.'

'Me neither, but I couldn't bring myself to pray. I don't remember that... It's been so long... Anyway: As soon as you can make it, meet me where we met last. Alright?'

'See you there, little brother.'

Castiel was alive. So much would change now. He couldn't suppress the happy smile that insisted on taking over his face. Not even when he did meet a demon and the creature did freak out about seeing an angel. But he zapped over and killed it before the hell spawn could make a noise that would have alerted the others. Then he hid his wings again and rescued some people.

But something felt off. The feeling of Gabriel still lingered with him and while the dread sobered him quickly, he wasn't sure what had just happened. And that just made him dread it more. When he hit a dead end and everything was either dead or out of there, he returned to where they had split.

Dean was already there and after a while Bobby joined them, too. But Adam... he didn't come. Worry rising, they searched the place, but found nothing.

'Lucifer, where is Adam?'

'...I don't know.'

'Don't you feel souls? Shouldn't you-'

'I should. But I _can't_ feel Adam's soul.'

'He's not here anymore? He must have been taken! Can you find him again like whe-'

'Sam! Listen to me: I can't feel his soul anymore. Not here and nowhere else either.'

'Is he dead?!'

'Urgh! Why is this so difficult to understand for you? I would still feel him then. I would know if he is above or below. But I cannot feel him at all now.'

'... ... ... How?!"

'He is hidden from me.'

'So that even you can't find him anymore? What kind of hiding is that?!'

'The kind a demon wouldn't manage and certainly no human. Only angels would know how to obscure a human like that, they must have heard my conversation with Gabriel, or theynoticed the demon gathering and just used my distraction. Or maybe they had an eye on the last horseman or something or maybe the panicked staff prayed for divine help when they saw the demons and their coworkers going zombie on them, alerting the angels to the mess. I don't know how, but it's the only option."

"So... angels? The _angels_ have him?"

"I'm afraid so, and this time I do not know how to get him back."


End file.
